Two research arms of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have entered into an educational partnership agreement and memorandum of understanding with Lawrence Technological University that provide a framework to pursue future collaboration and potential joint projects.

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, Miss., and the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, N.H., are partners in the agreement.

The Army Corps of Engineers spends some $1.5 billion a year on research and new technologies to support the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Transportation and other government agencies, in addition to its civil works mission throughout the country. This is its first ERDC EPA in metro Detroit.

Under the agreement ERDC and CRREL can:

* Hire Lawrence Tech students through cooperative education programs and student contract programs.
* Involve Lawrence Tech faculty in ERDC research in agreements that would be negotiated as needed under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act.
* Identify and develop specific areas of research where Lawrence Tech students can obtain academic credit for work on ERDC research projects.
* Loan ERDC equipment or transfer surplus equipment to Lawrence Tech.

“The Army Corps is looking for key people and universities to help with research so that we can manage our workload efficiently. We want to take advantage of their expertise. It should be a win-win,” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Col. James Davis, the liaison officer for the agreement.

He first learned of Lawrence Tech’s capabilities when he toured the Center for Innovative Materials Research with the Society of Military Engineers.

“I saw a lot of potential at CIMR and in other areas of the university. I think there is enough synergy here to establish a pilot program,” he said.

He hopes to take advantage of ongoing research projects that Lawrence Tech is working on with U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and TACOM headquartered in Warren.

“This is a great opportunity for Lawrence Tech to utilize and expand our research capabilities and bring additional federal research dollars to Michigan by working on projects that are important to the Army Corps of Engineers. We will be helping our country while strengthening our programs, and the Michigan economy,” said Nabil Grace, dean of engineering at Lawrence Tech. “Co-locating Lt. Col. Davis’ office on campus and involving him with the university environment should help our nation and provide many research opportunities for our students and faculty.”